disappointment media
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • The Snake Hole
  • About

HUNTER HUNTER -- A Brutal and Tense Thriller

12/16/2020

0 Comments

 
Review by Sean Boelman
Picture
Devon Sawa as Mersault in Shawn Linden’s HUNTER HUNTER. Courtesy of IFC Midnight. An IFC Midnight Film.
For much of its runtime, Hunter Hunter is a suspenseful but generic psychological thriller, but it sticks the landing in a way that audiences won’t soon forget. Impressive in its style more so than its substance, this is the type of brutally fun thriller that will make waves among the midnight crowd.

The film follows a family whose tranquil life as fur trappers is threatened when they begin to suspect they are being hunted by a vicious rogue wolf. At first, it seems as if this is going to be a man versus wild type of movie, but as the story progresses and the paranoia begins to set in, it becomes clear that there is more to it than that.

In a way, this is a slow burn, but not a traditional one. The first hour or so is very tense due to the audience, along with the characters, not knowing what is really happening. Normally, one would expect the suspense to ease off as soon as things start to fall into place, but Shawn Linden ups the ante, delivering one of the most impressive finales of the year.

The movie’s one significant shortcoming is that the character development is relatively thin. The protagonist is compelling as a mother trying to protect her family, but there are very few times in which she breaks outside of the desperate mother archetype. Camille Sullivan gives a fine performance in the role.
Picture
Camille Sullivan as ‘Anne’ in Shawn Linden’s HUNTER HUNTER. Courtesy of IFC Midnight. An IFC Midnight Film.
Devon Sawa has the main supporting turn as the father of the family who sets out to find the wolf and kill it before it can do any more damage. Sawa is as fun to watch as ever, giving a performance that is enjoyably brooding, but the character unfortunately doesn’t take him to any particularly interesting places.

There is also a subplot involving some local cops, and that is basically a non-starter. While Linden’s intentions with this storyline are obvious, and it ties in nicely to the ending, it isn’t entirely necessary and often feels like filler. Without this portion of the film, the story still could have felt complete.

It is definitely on a technical level that the movie is most impressive. Linden shoots the film in a way that is dark and atmospheric. Even though there are only a few moments of brutality, they are absolutely shocking and used in a way that is completely effective. The soundtrack also does a wonderful job of setting the mood.

Hunter Hunter starts out as a very simple movie but delivers in unexpected ways. Shawn Linden’s film is one of the most surprising genre flicks of the year, a can’t-miss for those looking for a thrilling watch.

Hunter Hunter hits theaters and VOD on December 18.

Rating: 4/5
               
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019

    Authors

    All
    Adam Donato
    Alan French
    Camden Ferrell
    Cole Groth
    Dan Skip Allen
    Jonathan Berk
    Joseph Fayed
    Josh Batchelder
    Paris Jade
    Rafael Motamayor
    Sarah Williams
    Sean Boelman
    Tatiana Miranda

disappointment media

Dedicated to unique and diverse perspectives on cinema!
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • The Snake Hole
  • About